Daughters of the Dagger 03 - Amber (10 page)

“This isn’t a lady’s saddle,” she protested.

“Then spread your legs and ride like a man.”

“That’s right,” said Mirabelle as Sir
Romney rode up with the whore latched on behind him on his horse. “Spread those legs, Sister Amber.”

“Stop it,”
Lucas growled, and slapped Sir Romney’s horse on the back end, sending them away from the stable.

“You’re taking both of my horses?” complained Father Armand.
“That will leave me with none.”

“Then get used to walking,” he said.
“It’s good exercise.” He looked up at Amber struggling with her long robe, trying to get settled in the saddle. She had her bag in her hand and almost fell because of it. “Give me the bag,” he said, snatching it from her hands. “What’s in here anyway?”

“
Not much. Just my prayer book, and a change of clothes, really.”

Like hell, he thought. He was not going to have her praying the whole trip and neither was he goin
g to let her have an extra robe of a nun. He’d already packed her velvet gown and jewels. He was so tired of seeing her hidden beneath that wimple, that it was the first thing he was getting rid of whether she liked it or not. All this time and he still had no idea of the color of her hair or if she even had hair at all tucked beneath that headpiece.

“Do
you really need this?” he asked, holding up the bag.

“Yes, now please pack it with your things.
”

While she occupied herself with trying to get one leg over the other side of the saddle without getting too tangled in her robes, Lucas looked over to Father Armand.

“Get rid of this,” he said in a low voice and pushed Amber’s bag into the priest’s hands. He saw the priest toss it behind a pile of hay as Lucas pulled himself up onto the horse behind Amber.

“What are you doing?” she squ
awked.

“Getting you settled,” he said, putting his hands around her waist and lifting her up enough to get one
of her legs over the saddle. “Give me the reins of John’s horse,” said Lucas to the priest, holding out his hand. He’d recognized the villein John’s horse, as he had befriended the farmer when he lived at the monastery years ago.

“I’ll expect these horses back in the same condition,” he said, handing Lucas the reins.

“Expect what you want, but you’ll not see John’s horse again, as I’m returning it to him on the way.”

“That was part of his taxes since he couldn’t pay,” protested the priest.

“And he’ll never be able to pay if he doesn’t have a horse to pull his plow to plant the fields.”

“What’s in those travel
bags?” the priest asked suspiciously. “Is it grain?”

That’s exactly what it was and Lucas knew he wasn’t going to
like it. “See you soon,” said Lucas with a smile, urging his horse forward. Amber fell backwards into his arms as the horse moved, and he liked the feel of her body pressed so close to his. Her veil lifted in the breeze, and he had to move his face in order to see where he was going. It took all his control not to rip it from her head and throw it to the ground.

One thing at a time, he told himself taking a deep breath and releasing it. But as soon as they got outside the monastery walls
, things were going to be very different indeed.

Amber was very aware of the fact that her body was pressed up against Lucas’s, and they rubbed together with each step of the horse. She felt that tingle on her skin again, and with her legs spread and riding in the saddle of a man she felt so wanton.

She looked down and surveyed Lucas’
s arms wrapped around her as he held the reins and directed the horse toward the village. And just for one moment she felt as if this was right and the way it was supposed to be. Then she looked ahead of them and saw Mirabelle pushed up close behind Sir Romney, whispering in his ear and the both of them laughing. They seemed so happy, even if she was only a whore.

Amber, on the other hand felt sad, lonely
, and confused. She hadn’t laughed at all since she’d joined the Order, and neither had she really smiled. When she was at home and growing up with her sisters, they always had a happy time together. And though she was the most reserved out of all of them, her father went to extremes to make her laugh even if he had to tickle her to do it.

She missed that kind of interaction with people. The only interaction she had lately besides praying with the nuns and monks in church
, was her conversations she had with Sister Ursula who seemed to be the only one to understand her. She thought she knew exactly what she wanted in life, but ever since the day Lucas had kissed her, she’d started having doubts that she should even be a nun at all.

“We’ll stop here for a moment,” Lucas called out to the knight and slipped off the horse behind her with ease.

They were in the village, and she knew exactly where. At the small wattle and daub hut of one of the villeins who had a small plot of land he farmed for his family. He also worked the lands of the monastery as well. His name was John, and she’d often brought extra food to him and his wife and three children, as the man was very poor.

“Lucas? Is that you?” John ran out of the house looking bedraggled and weary. His wife stood in the door
way holding a baby while her two toddlers clung to her skirt. They all looked hungry and Amber didn’t like it in the least.

“John,” Lucas said with a slight nod of his head. “I’ve brought you back your horse and grain to
plant your winter crops.”

She heard a gasp and then a slight cry of gratitude from his wife as sh
e ran out with her children to greet them.

“But I had to give my horse and grain to Father Armand since I couldn’t pay the taxes and as part of my tithes. Why are you bringing it back?”

“Because it was wrong of the priest to take it in the first place. And I know your family will starve to death without it.”

“Thank you, Lucas,” he said with a slight bow of his head, “but I can’t take it.”

“John,” said his wife with her hand on his arm. “Please. We need it to make a living as we are barely getting by.”

“If Father Armand finds out, we will be punished,” he told
her. “I have to protect you and the children and can’t allow that to happen.”

“He knows about it,” Lucas assured him. “And when I return from my pilgrimage I will see to it personally that you will be protected as well as fed and clothed. Not just you
, but all the villeins, so be sure to tell them.”

“Thank you, Lucas. You were always good to us and this will not be forgotten.”

“Give them some of our food as well,” Amber said from atop the horse.

“What?” asked Lucas, looking in her direction.

“These travel bags are full, so I know we must have more food than we need. What is in here anyway?” She reached down to untie the bag but Lucas rushed over and grabbed her hand to stop her.

“It’s
not in there,” he said, tying it back up quickly as if he didn’t want her to see something inside. “I’ll get it.”

“Sister Amber, it is good to see you again,” said his wife
, Mary with a slight smile. “Are you going somewhere?” she asked.

“I am going on pilgrimage to Canterbury
,” she relayed.

The woman looked over to the knight and whore next. “All of you?” she asked with a frown.

“Yes, this is Sir Romney and his … his friend, Mirabelle,” she said in introduction. When she saw the woman’s disapproval in her eyes, she added, “Mirabelle is a goose but is going to repent for her sins.”

Mirabelle laughed at that. “It’s Winchester Goose, Sister Amber. You are so cute when you make me sound like a fowl. And though I am going along, I assure you I’m not here to repent for my sins.”

“I will pray for you,” Amber said.

“I’ve already recei
ved absolution from Father Armand, so your prayers are not needed.”

“You did?” she asked, very confuse
d as to why the priest had refused to give her absolution in the confessional, but yet he freely gave it to a whore. She didn’t understand it at all.

Lucas gave the family a loaf of bread and some cheese and they were ever so grateful. Sir Romney even gave them a coin from his pouch
, and Amber nodded her head in appreciation.

Then after a few more pleasantries
, Lucas hoisted himself back atop the horse and they were on their way.

“That was a kind thing you did by giving them back their horse and grain,” she said as they rode.

“’Twas theirs to begin with and they need it more than the church.”

“But won’t Father Armand just come and get it again once we’re gone?”

“If he does, he’ll have to answer to me.”

She wanted to tell him she knew about his past
, but not here, not now. She decided she would wait until later. She had a lot to think about and it would take them a day or two to get to Canterbury. She blessed herself and prayed aloud atop the horse, hoping the others would hear and it would benefit them as well.

*

Lucas stopped as soon as they came to the first shrine along the road to Canterbury. He slipped off the horse, his ears burning and his head aching from listening to Amber praying the entire way. This was going to be a longer journey than he thought and he couldn’t wait to stop for the night at a pub and have himself a drink.

“Why are we stopping?” asked Mirabelle from the other horse.

“Sister Amber and I are on a pilgrimage,” he reminded the whore. “We need to stop at every shrine along the way and it will take some time. So why don’t you two just go ahead without us?”

He wanted to get rid of the whore before she said anything in front of Amber that they had been together.
Mayhap this was the perfect opportunity to do it.

“Well, if you insist,” said the knight from atop his horse.

“Nay!” shouted Amber, quickly trying to dismount on her own, her robe getting caught on the horn of the saddle, riding up her legs so everyone could see what lie beneath it. Her legs were clad in black hose tied to her undergarments. She kicked her legs trying to reach the ground as she was hung up and her feet were in the air. Lucas couldn’t help but notice the shape of her long legs and the swells of her tight rounded cheeks beneath her braies. He felt himself becoming aroused and he had to stop it quickly.

“Let me help,” he said, rea
ching up and untangling her robe with one hand as he wrapped his other arm around her waist. He let her slip down his body to the ground and unfortunately, she felt his arousal against her. Her eyes opened wide and she looked up to him. Then her tongue darted out quickly to moisten her dry lips and it about drove him mad. He turned away quickly.

“Don’t leave,” she called out to the knight and Mirabelle, rushing over toward them and laying her hands on the horse. “I want to get to know you both,” she said. “We haven’t had time to talk at all. Please, stay with us on our journey. I will make certain to pray extra prayers for your souls if you do.”

Lucas let out a small moan. Not more prayers, he thought. Just what he needed.

“Well, I suppose we can stay with you,” said the
knight. “After all, I feel horrible for having you see us coupling earlier, and I think I need all the prayers I can get.”

“Me too,” said Mirabelle with a giggle.

The knight dismounted and helped Mirabelle to do the same.

There was already a small crowd of peopl
e around the shrine of St. Augustine, and more pilgrims coming down the road. Lucas collected his bag of fake relics, knowing he could sell a bundle of them here.

“I need my rosary and prayer book,” Amber said, coming to his side. “Is it in here?” She reached for the bag containing her gown and jewels and Lucas’
s hand shot out and stopped her.

“I’ll get
it,” he told her. “Why don’t you just go to the shrine and start praying and talk to some of the pilgrims in the meantime?”

“Oh, all right,” she said, joining the small group at the shrine, holding the hands of an old woman who looked up toward her with sad eyes. Amber was like an angel as she gathered around the pilgrims and monks that were there and led a prayer session amongst the people. She looked so holy in her habit
, and Lucas knew he was going to have to do something soon to remove it.

He felt
a knot in his stomach thinking what he’d promised Father Armand. He just wanted this all to be over with and soon. He wanted his castle and would do anything to get it, even if it meant deceiving the beautiful angel who was so trusting of him that he hated himself for everything he was right now.

“What’s in the bag, Sir Lucas?” asked Sir
Romney as he came over to join him. Mirabelle had gone to use a bush, and Lucas was glad it was far from the shrine. That’s all he needed was a whore pissing on consecrated ground. He certainly had his hands full with this challenge.

“I’ve bro
ught relics from the monastery to sell,” he said. “Would you like to buy one?” Lucas opened the bag and scattered the relics on the grass. “I have the hair of St. Edward the martyr, the blood of St. Thomas Becket, a piece of the cradle of Christ himself, and varied bones and teeth of saints, and even a shoe from the renowned St. Dunstan.”

The knight picked up a bone, tossing it in the air and laughed. “This looks a lot like the
bone from the leg of mutton that Father Armand gave me eat last night in your refectory. He put it down and picked up a swatch of black hair wrapped in twine. “And this looks a lot like the tail of that horse you’re riding. I think you’re trying to pull off a guise here, Sir Lucas, or should I say Brother Lucas? You’re not really a knight errant either, are you?”

“Why would you say that?” asked Lucas,
hunkering down and quickly putting the relics back in the bag.

“Becaus
e Mirabelle told me you were naught but a mercenary. She also said you told her you were once training to be a monk.”

Lucas knew there was no use denying any of the man’s accusations. He’d been discovered
. If he denied it, then the knight would probably make things worse for him.

“
I used to be a mercenary, but I am certainly not a monk. And I would appreciate if neither of you mentioned my past in front of Sister Amber. I don’t think it would be proper.”

“You mean you’ll have no chance in hell of bedding her if she knows the truth about you, don’t you?”

“You’re speaking about a nun, if I must remind you.”

“I’ve noticed the way your eyes devour her every time you look her way. And Mirabelle pointed out that lump beneath your tunic so don’t try to hide the fact you lust for the wench
as well.”

“Only a whore would notice that,” he mumbled under his breath.

“You’re a fool if you think you’re going to get anywhere with Amber even if she is just a novice. She’d never be interested in the likes of you. But I wish you luck in trying, as she is comely.”

Lucas stopped loading the relics in the bag and looked over to Amber by the crowd at the shrine. She looked up just then and smiled at him and he felt like the lon
eliest man in the world. He knew Sir Romney was right. Why would anyone as good and pure as Amber ever be interested in anyone with a soul as black as his?

“She may like me more if I really were a knight,” he said.

“Then do something about it already,” suggested Sir Romney.

“Like what?” Lucas looked up
to the man.

“Follow me,” he said with a smile.

Lucas left the relics and did as told, and joined the knight at his horse.

“Here,” Sir Romney
said, giving a rolled up scroll to him. “This is the Code of Conduct for the knights. You can study it on the way to Canterbury, but I’ll need it back when we get there. And if you want, I’ll spar with you and that sword of yours in our free time. I could use a workout, as I haven’t practiced in a while.”

“Why would you do this for me?” asked Lucas, taking the scroll in his hands.

“I don’t know,” said the knight. “I guess it’s just because I like you. I have a sister but not a brother, and I always wanted one. Since I hear from Mirabelle that you were once almost a monk, mayhap you can be a Brother of a different kind to me.” He laughed and hit Lucas on the back. “Sorry about that, but I couldn’t resist. Besides, I am bored and I think watching you try to lure a nun to your bed will be quite entertaining.”